Holiday season within and outside the EU: useful tips for a worry-free summer

This holiday season, millions of Europeans have already started or about to start travelling within and outside the European Union. There are certain travel considerations that every European should be aware of to avoid problems, either before leaving or during and after the vacation. These considerations include having a health insurance, resolving travel disputes with an operator, getting the price right when phoning from abroad or travelling with a pet. The document published today by the European Commission compiles a number of these tips and provides a useful insight into the ways in which the EU is working to help and assist EU travellers. See: MEMO/13/725 .

Information and consultation at work: Commission evaluates EU rules

Commission clears acquisition of joint control over Cell Site Solutions Cessão de Infraestruturas by Goldman Sachs and Gávea Investimentos

The European Commission has approved under the EU Merger Regulation the acquisition of joint control over Cell Site Solutions Cessão de Infraestruturas by US-based Goldman Sachs and Gávea Investimentos of Brazil. Goldman Sachs is a firm active globally in investment banking, securities and investment management. Gávea Investimentos is an investment management firm with a focus on private equity, hedge funds, equity funds, and real estate funds. Cell Sites Solutions Cessão de Infraestruturas of Brazil is a recently-formed corporation which will be active in the acquisition, construction and hosting of wireless telecommunication sites in Latin America. The Commission concluded that the propose transaction would raise not competition concerns, in particular because the joint venture has no actual or foreseen activities in the European Economic Area (EEA) and the activities of the parties' portfolio companies do not overlap in the EEA. The operation was examined under the simplified merger review procedure. More information is available on the Commission's competition website in the public case register under the case number M.6961 .

The European Commission has approved under the EU Merger Regulation the acquisition of sole control over GrainCorp of Australia by Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) of the United States. ADM is a global food processing and commodities trading corporation. GrainCorp is active mainly in the storage of grain and related commodities. The Commission concluded that the proposed acquisition would not raise competition concerns given the very limited overlap between the parties' activities and the presence of other competitors, that are not capacity constrained. The operation was examined under the simplified merger review procedure. More information is available on the Commission's competition website in the public case register under the case number M.6963.

Trade barriers between the EU and Colombia will be lifted as of 1 August 2013, when a comprehensive and far-reaching trade deal enters into application. The Agreement will open up markets for both EU and Colombian exporters, eventually bringing annual savings of more than €500m for companies. The deal was signed by the EU, Colombia and Peru in June 2012 and will now be applied between all three parties. EU Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht said that the deal will open a new chapter in the EU’s bilateral relations with the Andean region.